By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
A decision from a federal judge to limit the scope of a controversial immigration law in Arizona has raised questions about the future of a similar bill in Michigan. A Republican proposal in the state House would require officials to check the immigration status of anyone whom they believe could be an illegal immigrant.
Maximo Anguiano is with Gamaliel, an advocacy organization. He says many Michigan law enforcement officials don't want the bill.
"It's more work for them," he says. "They can not work on real crime. Being an undocumented immigrant in the United States is a civic infraction - that's all it is. But they have to work on, they have to investigate this while crime is being done in another part of the city. They don't want it."
State Representative Kim Meltzer, who sponsored the Michigan immigration bill, lambasted the Arizona judge and President Obama for failing to secure U.S. borders.